Walking on Water, Don't Underestimate My Determination to Get Something to Eat!

Inside Sea Restaurant Baratie, in the head chef's office decorated with an oceanic flair.

Several burly chefs held Luffy by the arms and dragged him before Head Chef Zeff like a criminal.

"Head Chef! This is the culprit!"

Patty pointed at Luffy and loudly accused him, "That cannonball that fell from the sky and smashed the roof just now was brought here by this guy!"

Zeff, seated behind his desk, looked rather bedraggled at the moment.

His once snow-white, towering chef's hat and uniform were now covered in black soot and scorch marks.

Clearly, he had been the direct victim of Luffy's earlier Rubber Balloon, which sent the cannonball flying.

Zeff stroked his two golden braided mustaches and calmly glanced at Luffy.

"Did you do it, Straw Hat boy?"

Feeling the deep, ocean-like pressure radiating from the other man.

Luffy did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately dropped into a perfect dogeza, slamming his forehead hard against the floor.

"I-I'm terribly, terribly sorry!!"

Luffy shouted, his attitude utterly sincere.

After a while, seeing no response from the other side.

Luffy cautiously raised his head a little, intending to sneak a look at the victim.

But the instant he looked, his gaze froze.

He saw Zeff's empty right pant leg, with a hard wooden prosthetic in place of a leg.

Luffy's eyes trembled, and tears instantly burst forth as he bawled with snot and tears streaming down his face.

"Waaah!! I'm sorry, mister!! Your foot!! Did I accidentally blow your foot off?!!"

"Idiot!!"

Veins bulged on Zeff's forehead as he mercilessly raised his wooden leg and kicked Luffy squarely in the face.

Bang!

"My leg was broken off who knows how many years ago! How could some brat like you have blown it off?! Don't flatter yourself!"

Meanwhile, the doors of the sea restaurant were pushed open.

Badly injured Fullbody entered the restaurant arm in arm with his sexy female companion, Moodie.

Although he had changed into clean clothes, Fullbody's right hand was now wrapped in thick bandages, making it look like a huge rice dumpling. It was rather comical.

Moodie looked at Fullbody's injured hand and asked worriedly.

"Captain, your hand... is it really alright? Why don't we call it a day...?"

"Hahaha, it's fine, it's fine!"

Fullbody endured the piercing pain shooting through his wrist, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Yet he still forced a smile, trying to display the poise of a Marine gentleman.

Although that damned red-eyed brat had ruthlessly stomped his right wrist and broken it earlier.

It could not stop his determination to get something to eat. If anything, it only made that determination even stronger.

—He desperately needed to vent and soothe his wounded body and soul.

"It's just... a little scrape. You know, training is always grueling for a Marine captain. Hahaha."

He wrapped his uninjured left arm around Moodie's waist, striking a dashing pose.

"Come on. The red wine here is quite good. Let's go inside."

On the Going Merry.

"Ugh, why did that idiot Luffy have to go apologize? Couldn't he have just blamed it on the Marines? They fired the cannonball, after all."

Nami leaned over the railing, looking toward the distant restaurant as she pouted and complained.

Victor stretched, yawned, then suddenly remembered something.

"Ah, right. Luffy doesn't have a single Beli on him."

"Huh?" Nami froze.

"If he doesn't bring money to compensate them, judging by that head chef's temper, Luffy will probably get detained and spend the rest of his life washing dishes."

"I'm hungry too, so I'll bring some Beli over to compensate them."

Victor patted the dust off his clothes. "And while I'm there, I'll sample the cooking at the most famous restaurant in East Blue."

Nami's expression turned pained and reluctant at the thought of using their treasure.

But when she thought about rescuing Luffy, she could only sigh helplessly.

"Honestly... I'm coming too! I need to make sure you don't spend money recklessly!"

Victor nodded, then turned toward Zoro, who was dozing against the mast with his swords in his arms, and Usopp, who was repairing the ship's railing with a hammer.

"Hey, Zoro, Usopp. We're leaving the ship in your hands."

"Don't worry, big bro! We're here too!"

Johnny and Joseph immediately patted their chests in assurance, their eyes filled with admiration for Victor.

"Bring back something tasty for us! I want meat with bones in it!" Usopp shouted, waving his hammer.

"Caw caw caw! Clay wants some too!" Clay flapped his wings and cried out.

Then Usopp seemed to realize something and stared wide-eyed at the two standing by the railing.

"Hey, Victor... wait, the rowboat's behind—"

But before he could finish.

Victor suddenly bent down, slipped one arm beneath Nami's knees, wrapped the other around her back, and scooped her up in a princess carry.

"Eek?!"

Nami's body abruptly lifted into the air, and a blush instantly spread across her cheeks.

She instinctively struggled lightly, pressing both hands against Victor's chest.

"Hey! What are you doing?! Put me down!"

"We're going over there."

Victor looked utterly innocent. "Taking the rowboat is too slow. We'd have to paddle, and that's a hassle."

Then, without any warning, he leaped straight toward the sea below while holding Nami!

"Ahhh!!!"

Seeing the sea surface rapidly approaching, Nami let out a terrified scream.

She squeezed her eyes shut and instinctively clutched Victor's clothes tightly with both hands.

"You idiot!! Did you forget you can't swim?! We're going to drown!!"

Whoosh—

The wind howled past their ears.

Yet the expected suffocating sensation of icy seawater crashing over them never came.

Instead, she felt a steady jolt, as if they had landed on solid ground.

"You can open your eyes now."

Victor's amused voice sounded beside her ear.

Nami cautiously opened one eye and looked down at their feet.

The moment she did, she nearly cried out in shock.

Victor was standing steadily atop the rolling sea!

It was as if an invisible membrane beneath his feet kept the seawater away, with only faint ripples spreading outward.

After secretly practicing for some time, Victor had become proficient at using chakra to walk on water.

"Hold on tight, Navigator."

Victor gave her a reminder.

Whoosh!

Then their figures flashed. Carrying Nami in his arms, Victor dashed across the sea as though running on level ground, leaving a white trail of spray behind them.

Usopp and Zoro watched from the ship, their jaws nearly dropping to the deck.

"What the... is that guy a ninja?" Zoro opened one eye.

"Ah... that's so cool! I want to learn that move too! Then I won't have to fear falling into the sea!" Usopp drooled with envy.

A few seconds later, on the deck of the sea restaurant.

Victor landed lightly and set Nami down from his arms.

"We're here."

The instant Nami's feet touched the deck, she immediately backed away two steps as though electrocuted.

She straightened her slightly rumpled clothes, the blush on her face not yet fully faded.

Without looking at Victor, she put on a stern expression and headed straight for the restaurant doors, her steps somewhat flustered.

Victor scratched his head, looking confused.

"Hmm... did I do something wrong again? Wasn't that the fastest way? And I didn't even get her shoes wet."

He shook his head, unable to understand women's thoughts, then followed after her.

Creak—

The two pushed open the enormous fish-shaped doors.

The moment they opened them, an angry roar rushed toward them, shattering the restaurant's previously elegant atmosphere.

"Oy! Oy! Oy! What kind of service is this?!!"

At a table in the center of the restaurant, Fullbody stood with one foot planted on a chair.

He slammed his heavily bandaged right hand against the table and roared at the young blond chef with curled eyebrows standing before him.

"I'm a captain from Marine Headquarters! Iron Fist—Fullbody!!"

He pointed at the bowl of soup before him, his expression twisted.

"You expect me to drink soup with flies in it?! This is an insult to the Marines!!"

"I can see that look in your eyes. You're not convinced, are you?! Say something, bastard!"

"I have the authority to arrest you! You curly-browed bastard chef!"

Across from him, the chain-smoking sous chef Sanji looked at him with complete indifference.

At the entrance.

Victor looked at the familiar scene and curled his lips into a faint smile.

"Oh? Looks like we got here just in time."